Milledgeville, Georgia (January 17, 2013) -- Communities along
Georgia's Antebellum Trail will again extend their Southern hospitality to
visitors this April during the Fifth Annual Antebellum Trail Pilgrimage, with a
wide array of heritage events and attractions that provide a window into 19th
century Georgia homes and lifestyles.
The 100-mile Antebellum Trail spans seven historically significant
communities including Athens, Watkinsville, Madison, Eatonton, Milledgeville,
Gray/Old Clinton and Macon. During the
Pilgrimage weekend April 18 - 21, 2013, communities along the Trail will offer
a wide array of museum tours and special events as well as entrance into
private historic homes not generally open to the public. A flexible Antebellum
Trail Pilgrimage Pass is just $25 and provides admission to all participating
events and attractions in any or all of the communities throughout the entire
weekend.

The Antebellum Trail Pilgrimage is held during a prime month of
festivals and annual events in the host communities, which will allow tourists
to combine the Pilgrimage with other premiere events. "With entrance to
these attractions and events at a remarkable value, the Trail Association makes
it easy for participants to experience all seven historic communities,"
said Justin Martin, President of the Antebellum Trail Association.

The northern gateway of the Antebellum Trail is Athens, which has been
named a Distinctive Destination by The National Trust for Historic
Preservation. Patrons can tour four house museums featuring four architectural
styles from four different 19th century decades. Special events and
offerings at the Athens house museums
are planned for the Pilgrimage weekend, as well as a special walking tour
offered daily by the Athens Clarke Heritage Foundation.

Watkinsville, a former frontier town on the edge of Creek and Cherokee
Indian territories, is home to the Eagle Tavern. The Eagle Tavern was built in
the late 1700s and is one of the city's earliest surviving structures. It
served as a stagecoach stop and tavern throughout the antebellum period.

Madison, known as "the town Sherman refused to burn," is a
national treasure of antebellum architecture. Patrons can embark on a walking
or driving tour of the historic district and will have access to museums and
Antebellum and Victorian homes, including private homes not generally open to
the public. Excellent shopping is available as more than 160 antique vendors
plus 45 specialty shops grace the beautifully restored downtown square.

Participants will also visit Eatonton, which has a beautiful,
well-preserved downtown historic district plus a residential section of the
historic district featuring over 100 antebellum and Victorian-era
structures. Participants will be able to
take exclusive tours of private homes not usually open to the public. Eatonton
is the hometown of Joel Chandler Harris, author of the Uncle Remus Tales, and
author Alice Walker, who wrote The Color Purple.

Milledgeville is known as Georgia's Antebellum Capital. Featured on the
Pilgrimage is the restored Old Governor's Mansion, where Sherman himself slept!
Completed in 1839, the Old Governor's Mansion is one of the finest examples of
Greek Revival architecture in the nation. Another gem not to be missed is
Georgia's Old Capitol Museum, designed in the Gothic Revival style and the
location where Georgia legislators voted to secede from the Union.
Milledgeville also boasts a Museum District that includes preserved mansions,
haunted historic sites and eclectic art galleries, while the historic district
boasts 20 architectural landmarks.

In the quiet, rural village of Gray/Old Clinton, visitors can get a
glimpse back in time to the former bustling town on Georgia's western frontier.
Patrons can tour the Old Clinton Historical District including several early
19th century homes and visit the only infantry battle opposition of General
Sherman's March to the Sea at the Griswoldville Battlesite.

The southern tip of the trail is Macon, home to the Hay House. This
destination was featured on A&E's America's Castles and is known as the
"Palace of the South." At the Cannonball House, patrons can enjoy
Greek Revival architecture while listening to the "Georgia Suitcase"
program featuring found letters revealing a Macon family's life during the
Antebellum era. Tour patrons can also spend time at the Sidney Lanier Cottage
with a performance by a historical re-enactor of the young Sidney. Patrons can
end the evening with a scenic drive or a leisurely stroll through Macon's in-town
illumination tour, a unique, self-guided tour which showcases over 30 public
and private mansions.

Tickets can be purchased at any of the Welcome Centers along the trail
prior to and during the Pilgrimage or online at www.atpilgrimage.com. Tickets
for the Pilgrimage are $25. An early bird ticket price of $20 is available
through March 31, 2013. Groups of 10 or more receive discounted tickets at $20.

For more information contact the Milledgeville Convention &
Visitors Bureau at 478-452-4687 or visit the website at www.atpilgrimage.com.

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PSAs: Georgia's 5th Annual
Antebellum Trail Pilgrimage

PSA, 15 second

You know about General Sherman's March to the Sea, but what about the
cities he didn't burn? Georgia's 5th Annual Antebellum Trail Pilgrimage, April
18 - 21 , takes you back in time in the deep south, visiting historical sites
in seven communities from Athens to Macon. For more information visit
www.atpilgrimage.com.

PSA, 30 second

Re-live the days of white columns and front porches where time stood
still. Experience the roots of southern hospitality during Georgia's 5th Annual
Antebellum Trial Pilgrimage April 18 - 21. This one hundred mile trail spans
seven communities from Athens to Macon and showcases historical homes, museums,
events and more. View impressive architecture, authentic battlesites and
private homes for only twenty-five dollars a ticket. Tickets can be purchased online or at any of
the Welcome Centers along the trail. For more information visit www.atpilgrimage.com
or call 800-768-3401.

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About the Antebellum Trail:

The Antebellum Trail began as a University of Georgia project in March
1984. The Athens Chamber of Commerce called the historic communities of Athens,
Watkinsville, Eatonton, Milledgeville, Old Clinton and Macon together to
promote and network their history. The state of Georgia recognized Georgia's
Antebellum Trail as a state designated trail in 1985. Over the past 28 years,
Georgia's first tourism trail has remained its most popular, with visitors
coming from around the world to experience Antebellum Georgia.